One new and important feature introduced by Fuji with the X-T2 are the Fujifilm X-T2 AF-C Custom Setting. But how exactly do they work and can help us to take the best out of our X-T2 autofocus tracking capability? Fujifilm-x highlighted 3 parameters:

“First is Tracking Sensitivity. It adjusts the time that AF system continues to predict the subject movement. If you have it at “0”. There is no AF prediction. If you have it at “4”, then it will continue to predict for 1.3 sec based on the information that the camera gathered up to that point. “1”, “2”, and “3” predict for 0.4 sec, 0.7 sec, and 1.0 sec respectively.

In sports photography, obstacles often come in and out of the frame. This setting allows you to adjust, so that you will not to get bothered by such obstacles. If you are tracking a soccer player playing against another player, your best bet is to set it at “3” or “4”.  But for such sports as skiing and skateboarding, it is less likely that any obstacle would come into the frame. So the camera would be better off set at “0” to continue tracking in linear motion.

Next is Speed Tracking Sensitivity. Prior to X-T2, the X Series cameras assumed that the subject moved at a constant speed in order to predict the motion. This assumption was OK if the subject were a train or a track and field athlete. But in case of motor sport, the cars accelerates and decelerates […] To overcome the problem, the new parameter assumes the speed is not constant in order to predict the movements. […]

Lastly, Zone Area Switching.  […] “CENTER” means that AF prioritizes the center of the Zone area. Keep in mind, this is not center of the frame, but of the Zone area. So if you have adjusted the AF position with the focus lever, then the preference will also be shifted. “FRONT” prioritizes on the closest subject within the Zone area.

Of course, if there were no subject at center or in the front, then the AF search will be conducted to find the subject. “AUTO” basically has no preferences, and it searches in all area.”

Fujifilm X-T2 USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / Calumentphoto DE / AmazonUK / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP / PCHstore / WexUK / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

There is a new game on the internet… no, it’s not hunting Pokemons, but finding the Fujifilm X-T2 in stock. And especially after Fuji’s recent note, they are having some issues in delivering the X-T2 due to high demand, some of you might appreciate to know that:

• the Fujifilm X-T2 is available at AmazonUS (via third party) – only 2 left
• the X-T2 is available at AmazonDE

Fujifilm X-T2 USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / Calumentphoto DE / AmazonUK / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP / PCHstore / WexUK / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

Fujifilm X-T2
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / Calumentphoto DE / AmazonUK / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP / PCHstore / WexUK / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

I know, now that the X-T2 hit the market, many of you are waiting for “real-life” reviews. For example Grittymonkey, who, in his article “X-T2, the good, the hype and the bad” said that the X-photographers X-T2 reviews we have read so far could potentially have inflated a hype bubble around the X-T2, since those reviews come from people, who have a relationship with Fujifilm, and therefore could be biased (that’s a really short summary, read the whole and more elaborated article here at Grittymonkey before making any comment, please)

Now, I’m actually looking forward to real life reviews, too. Really, I mean, I’m a review-holic, and I recently was able to watch hours of reviews just for buying a simple multi-tool like my [shoplink 49081 ebay]Leatherman Juice CS4[/shoplink].

So yes, the more reviews we have, the better.

But…

But I’d not dismiss the feedback that “X-photographers” give us. They are (almost) all Pro photographers, and after years of experience and work with Fujifilm X-series cameras they surely master their gear really very good. And knowing your gear inside out really helps a lot to take the most out of it. That’s why they will achieve better results with X-gear than an amateur like me. Moreover, in the past I’ve seen X-photographers demolishing certain Fuji X products, like Patrick La Roque here.

Is this a 100% guarantee that every single X-photographer will be 100% objective and accurate? No. But we don’t have this guarantee even with real life reviews… let me tell you why:

Consider this: the Fujifilm X-T2 is right now falling in the hands of all kind of photographers: experienced Pro’s, long time and skilled X-shooters, X-enthusiasts, but also photography amateurs, PRO Photographers, who just switched to Fuji thanks to the X-T2, people who upgrade from a simple entry-level mirrorless to a high-end X-T2, long time DSLR photographers who make their first step into mirrorless with the X-T2 and what not.

And while some of those won’t take much time to get familiar with the X-T2, others will really have to study first, test a lot, and get familiar with the X-gear, before they can make any accurate statement about the X-T2.

I say this, because in the past I’ve seen “real-life” reviewers complaining about this and that, and at the end it turns out they didn’t turn the “high performance mode” to “ON”, or they had face detection enabled (which disables the fast Phase Detection AF), or they tested the AF-speed using the slowest lens in the Fuji lineup, or they used the smallest possible AF-box for tracking instead of a wider area (like recently also Ken pointed out in one of his X-T2 videos here), or people who have not the latest firmware installed on their lenses, others who tried the X-T1 tracking with MS+ES enabled (the X-T1 does not focus between each tracking shot, if electronic shutter is enabled)… and a lot more. These are “errors” an official Fujifilm X-photograher, or an experienced X-shooter, probably does not do.

For example, I remember that Tony Northrup even had to re-shoot his entire EM-1 and X-T1 comparison video here, because, on suggestion of X-shooters in the comments, he found out that he had the camera set up wrong. But he’s that kind of guy, who takes critics seriously and was fair enough to shoot the entire review again… and his conclusions, with the camera set properly, changed quite a bit.

So, in the next days, everybody will upload his X-T2 review on the internet. And that’s perfectly fine and I look forward to that (and I’ll share on FR). But, we, as the “consumers” of these real-life reviews, should make sure the reviewer is familiar with the X-system and knows his craft, before joining every possible shitstorm.

At the end of the day, the best thing to do is to choose some photographers you really trust, X-photographers or not, and wait for their feedback about certain products.

So feel free to make a list in the comments of people, whose reviews you trust.

cheers
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Fujifilm just released an official statement that says they can’t keep up with the Fujifilm X-T2 orders and there will be a delivery delay. See here.

Mirror-less digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T2” is, received a reservation of more than assumed, production has become a situation that does not keep up with the orders. For this reason, you may be asked for a while days to deliver the product you ordered. And we apologize for the inconvenience to our customers, actually there is no excuse. So we will continue to work to intensive production, I would like to humbly thank you for your understanding.

The Fujifilm X-T2 was in Stock at AmazonUS and Adorama, but they sold quickly. Amazon says they expect to ship it in 1 or 2 months. You still can find some for example at AmazonITA and AmazonESP (with €42 price drop) and CameraPro.

Fujifilm X-T2  USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / Calumentphoto DE / AmazonUK / WexUK /  PCHstore / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro